This invention relates to a process for distributing disks such as can covers or lids, bottle caps or the like and an apparatus for the same.
As for a process and an apparatus of this kind, there has been hitherto known a device wherein a row of stacked disks is conveyed at a continuous constant speed, and then is divided one after another, at every predetermined number thereof, so that cylindrical stack bodies may be obtained separately therefrom one after another. The cylindrical bodies thus obtained and arranged in a row in mutually parallel and contact relationship are rolled down one by one from an upper portion of a guide passage comprising an inclined plate to a distributing position located at a lower portion thereof. Further, such cylindrical stack bodies located at the distributing position are dropped one by one to either one side of the right or the left of a central distributing projection provided below. See Japanese Patent Publication No. Showa 55 (1980)-48048.
This type of process is defective in that the cylindrical stack body is liable to break. More particularly, the cylindrical stack body may lose its shape in the course of being rolled down to the distributing position. All the working steps of the process line must be stopped when any one of the cylindrical stack bodies is deformed out of shape or is broken into individual disks.
The present invention has for its object to provide a process which is free from the above inconvenience. The process provides for conveying a row of stacked disks continuously at a constant speed, dividing the row of stacked disks at every predetermined number thereof, one after another to form cylindrical stack bodies of the stacked disks, supplying the cylindrical stack bodies to a lower portion of an inclined passage so that the same may be at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the inclined passage, pushing up the same, holding the same at an upper stage position of the inclined passage so that a room space for receiving the following cylindrical stack succeeding to the same body may be given to the lower portion of the inclined passage before the following cylindrical stack body is supplied to the lower portion of the inclined passage. Further, the process provides for releasing the holding of the cylindrical stack body, pushing up the cylindrical stack bodies arranged in a row in mutually parallel and contact relationship, holding them at the upper stage position for providing room space, releasing the holding of the same in the cylindrical stack bodies, supplying the following cylindrical stack body into the room space and distributing at least two of the cylinder stack bodies to the side of the inclined passage while the pushing up step, the holding step, the releasing step and the supplying step as mentioned above are repeated.
The present invention has an additional object of providing an apparatus for carrying out the above process, which comprises a slide cutter means for dividing a row of stacked disks, which is being conveyed at a continuous constant speed, at every predetermined number one after another to form cylindrical stack bodies therefrom. Further, the apparatus supplies the cylindrical stack bodies one after another to an inclined passage which extends at right angles to the supplying direction of the slide cutter means and is gradually raised toward its forward end. A push-up means is provided for intermittently pushing upwards every cylindrical body supplied one after another to the lower portion of the inclined passage, a holding means for holding upwardly moved one or more cylindrical stack bodies at the upper stage position on the lower portion of the inclined passage, and a distributing means for distributing at least two of the cylindrical stack bodies arranged in a row and in mutual parallel and contact relations to the side of the inclined passage.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.